In recent years, a resistance varying memory device employing a variable resistance element as a storage element has been receiving attention.
In order to cause a variable resistance element to function as a memory cell of a resistance varying type memory, it may be required to perform a forming operation as an initial setting operation. This forming operation is performed by applying a certain forming voltage to the variable resistance element to form a filament path in the variable resistance element, thereby setting the variable resistance element to a certain resistance state.
There is a need for a semiconductor memory device capable of executing this forming operation efficiently and with low power consumption.